I walked away with the impression that her discussion of the cartoon spate in Europe was mostly a preamble for this:

"The lesson is that if you want your religion not to be mocked, it helps to have a reputation for senseless violence. Is this the incentive structure we want?

That observation is, of course, quite correct. Christians who protest blasphemy generally do not threaten a violent response..."

So let's make sure not to set a precendent so "cheap religion-baiting, and particularly Christian-baiting" can remain in vogue.

I would tend to think that there is a difference between a segment of the public using its market power to persuade a company to align its products more closely with the tastes and values of its consumers, and demanding that the government ban certain types of speech under threat of death and disorder.

According to an Associated Press article on Thursday, February 2nd, (published on CNN.com) here is what the new Turkish movie starring Gary Busey and Billy Zane called "Valley of the Wolves Iraq" is about:

"They (American Soldiers) kill dozens of innocent people with random machine-gun fire, shoot the groom in the head, and drag those left alive to Abu Ghraib prison — where a Jewish doctor cuts out their organs, which he sells to rich people in New York, London and Tel Aviv."

Of course many Americans either have never heard of this film or they don't care. But assuming they have or they will, should we anticipate violent protests by Americans? Have Americans threatened Turks abroad or here at home because of this movie? Of course not. Nor will they.

And what happens when a series of cartoons first published in Denmark and then in other European newspapers that show the prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban that has a lit fuse? There is a call for jihad. Editors are getting fired, militants are threatening to kidnap European diplomats, and the Islamic world is in an uproar.

What is most laughable is the Arab news agency Al-Jezeera; they are not showing the cartoon in its entirety but only a distorted image. This is the same news network that is handed tape after tape of terrorists threatening the world with jihad that they broadcast with eagerness without edits. They are also compliant in showing American soldiers being blown up and filmed by the same terrorists that are initiating the attack. They are also compliant with broadcasting kidnapped victims begging for their lives. They are also compliant in broadcasting their savage beheadings. But a cartoon depicting Mohammed with a bomb? That is too offensive though. Even CNN.com will not show the cartoon "out of respect for Islam"
www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/02/gaza.cartoon/index.html

I find that the level of hypocrisy and the failure of the civilized world to challenge this irrational behavior the most offensive. CNN continues its article explaining the fate of one courageous Arab Muslim commentator regarding the cartoon controversy:

"The editorial, written by Editor Jihad Momeni — a former Jordanian senator — asked: "Who offends Islam more? A foreigner who endeavors to draw the prophet as described by his followers in the world, or a Muslim with an explosive belt who commits suicide in a wedding party in Amman or elsewhere."

A spokesman for Shihan said Momeni had been fired."
www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/02/02/gaza.cartoon/index.html